Japan remembers – 5 years on from The Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

Namie in Fukushima 5 years after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

A man offers a prayer for the victims of tsunami and earthquake on the area destroyed by the tsunami at Namie in Fukushima prefecture near the crippled TEPCO’s nuclear plant on Friday, March 11, 2016 on the fifth anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. (Photo by Yoshio Tsunoda/AFLO)

Namie in Fukushima 5 years after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

Buddhist monks offer prayers before a small altar for the victims of tsunami and earthquake in Namie in Fukushima prefecture near the crippled TEPCO nuclear plant on Friday, March 11, 2016 on the fifth anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. (Photo by Yoshio Tsunoda/AFLO)

Okawa Elementary School in Ishinomaki 5 years after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

Two men pray early on March 11, 2016 at a shrine next to the remains of Okawa Elementary School in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. (Photo by Yusuke Nakanishi/AFLO)

Okawa Elementary School in Ishinomaki 5 years after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

The remains of Okawa Elementary School on March 11, 2016 in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Exactly 5 years earlier 74 out of the school’s 108 students lost their lives as a result of the tsunami on March 11th, 2011. (Photo by Yusuke Nakanishi/AFLO)

Okawa Elementary School in Ishinomaki 5 years after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

People come to pray at the ruins of Okawa Elementary School on March 11, 2016 in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Exactly 5 years earlier 74 out of the school’s 108 students lost their lives as a result of the tsunami on March 11th, 2011. (Photo by Yusuke Nakanishi/AFLO)

Okawa Elementary School in Ishinomaki 5 years after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

There are plans to rebuild the school but as yet this has not been fixed. The fate of the destroyed buildings is also expected to be decided soon with residents of the town divided as to whether they should be preserved as a memorial or removed. (Photo by Yusuke Nakanishi/AFLO)

Okawa Elementary School in Ishinomaki 5 years after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

The ruins of Okawa Elementary School on March 11, 2016 in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. 5 years ago to this day 74 out of the school’s 108 students lost their lives as a result of the tsunami on March 11th, 2011. (Photo by Yusuke Nakanishi/AFLO)

Okawa Elementary School in Ishinomaki 5 years after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

A procession of monks arrive at what is left of Okawa Elementary School on March 11, 2016 in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. 5 years earlier 84 people lost their lives here as a result of the tsunami on March 11th, 2011. (Photo by Yusuke Nakanishi/AFLO)